Uranium is a dangerous environmental pollutant with potent
toxological effects. When a cell senses uranium, it elicits a
strong response in order to cope with the damage. We aim to
understand the uranium sensory mechanism and response in
Caulobacter crescentus, a bacterium that has the unusual
quality of being exceptionally resistant to uranium stress. It is
known that exposure to uranium activates a unique pattern of
gene expression that is quite different from the response to
other heavy metals. This suggests that there is a
uranium-specific sensory mechanism, but the molecular
components are as yet unknown.

Leaking barrels of depleted uranium
Portsmouth, OH

Large caliber depleted uranium ammunition,
as used in Yugoslavia and Iraq